Manchester City’s search for a reliable goalscoring winger since the departures of Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane has led them to Ghana’s jewel, Antoine Semenyo, whose imminent arrival from Bournemouth could prove to be a masterstroke.
The 26-year-old is set to join for around £62.5 million, in a move that marks the end of an era at the Vitality Stadium.
Pep Guardiola’s move for Semenyo is a direct response to a dangerous tactical imbalance. This season, City have transitioned into “Erling Haaland FC,” with the Norwegian striker responsible for a staggering 65% of the team’s Premier League goals. While Haaland has 20 league strikes to his name, the supporting cast has been uncharacteristically blunt.
Savinho and Jeremy Doku have combined for just five goals, while Bernardo Silva has failed to find the net in 20 league appearances. Even Oscar Bobb, highly rated by the coaching staff, remains without a goal this campaign.
Semenyo offers the clinical edge that City’s current wide players lack. He arrives in Manchester as the Premier League’s third-highest scorer this season, having netted 10 goals—including a dramatic 95th-minute winner against Tottenham in his final game for Bournemouth.
Unlike Doku or Savinho, who often prioritise the assist, Semenyo is a volume shooter with the physical presence to bully defenders and the technical quality to finish from distance.
His versatility is the final piece of the puzzle. Comfortable on either flank or as a central striker, Semenyo provides a genuine alternative to Haaland rather than just a provider.
For a team that has lacked a “pure” goalscoring winger for years, the Ghanaian’s ability to “smell the football” makes him the ideal signing to ignite City’s title charge.
